Vietnam, India Hold Third Dialogue on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

At the event. Photo: Indian embassy in Vietnam

The third annual dialogue between premier academies of India and Vietnam, the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) was held on May 26 in Hanoi, VOV reported.

ICWA Director General, Ambassador Vijay Thakur Singh led the delegation of Indian scholars, while VASS Vice President Dr. Dang Xuan Thanh led the Vietnamese delegation during the dialogue.

This edition of dialogue coincided with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-India diplomatic relations and was themed as “Strengthening Vietnam-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”.

In his speech, Dr. Dang Xuan Thanh noted India is one of the top 10 trading partners of Vietnam, with their two-way trade turnover growing by 20% annually, reaching more than US$13 billion in 2021 alone.

Defense and security cooperation, he said, has been an important pillar of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. Bilateral cooperation in other fields such as education - training, agriculture, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges have been expanded.

Indian culture has been popularized in Vietnam as Yoga is now much practiced and Indian movies and dishes are favoured by more and more Vietnamese people.

The results of bilateral cooperation, Thanh said, are not commensurate with the development potential of the two countries. In addition, there are profound and complicated changes in geopolitics and geo-economics in the world and the Indo-Pacific region, especially in the context that countries are struggling to cushion the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Indian ambassador to Vietnam Rranay Verma pointed to the fact that both India and Vietnam are committed to addressing common challenges such as climate change and poverty for sustainable development, and above all inclusive growth.

The two sides share views on many regional and international issues, creating the basis for their closer cooperation in the regional and international arena.

Taking the floor, Dr. Pham Cao Cuong, deputy director of the Vietnam Institute of India and Southwest Asian Studies, suggested that that the two sides continue to strengthen dialogue, trade cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, as well as the Mekong Ganga cooperation.

Dr. Temjenmeren Ao, a research fellow at the Indian Council on World Affairs, said that the lifting of the Vietnam – India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has opened up opportunities for the two countries to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of aerospace, biotechnology, automobiles, renewable energy, encryption technology, training and maintenance, trade and investment, as well as in joining US peacekeeping force missions.

Discussions covered a wide-range of bilateral, regional and global issues of shared interest. Scholars from both sides agreed that on the foundations of deep mutual trust and understanding, Vietnam-India relations are poised to grow stronger amidst the emerging geo-political and geo-economic trends in the region and the world.

During the visit, ICWA Director General also met VASS President Bui Nhat Quang.

President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences Bui Nhat Quang meets Director General of the Indian Council of World Affairs, Ambassador Vijay Thakur Singh. Photo: Indian embassy in Vietnam

The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and India is developing substantially, agreed Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha Om Birla during the ;atter's visit in April.

Two-way trade expanded to over US$13 billion in 2021 from US$200 million in 2000, turning India into the 8th biggest trade partner of Vietnam, approaching the 15-billion-USD target set by leaders of the two countries.

Regarding investment, as of March 20, India had 317 valid projects worth over US$1 billion in Vietnam, ranking 24th out of the 129 countries and territories investing in the Southeast Asian nation.

The investment ties between the two countries are likely to make new breakthroughs in the coming years, focusing on the sectors of seaports, energy, infrastructure, oil and gas, and IT.

Indo- Vietnam Solidarity Committee Hold Seminar to Mark President Ho Chi Minh's Birthday To mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Vietnam and on the eve of the 132nd birth anniversary of ...

President Ho Chi Minh Commemorated in India's Kolkata City A week-long tribute to President Ho Chi Minh was held in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, India.

President Hopes for Stronger Vietnam-Indonesia Defence Ties President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on May 13 suggested Vietnamese and Indonesian defence ministries bolster consultations and support each other at multilateral forums, and maintain the ...